10 Ways to Tell That You Annoy Hairstylists 2011-03-03 12:20:46

10 Ways to Tell That You Annoy Your Stylist

When it comes to salon etiquette, we all have a general idea of what to do. Don't run with scissors, keep your clothes on under the styling cape, and never ask the stylist why his hair color is so weird. But what about the finer points of in-salon behavior? Fouling up subtler salon social mores can really annoy your stylist, making it hard for her to do her job, and making it much more likely that you won't get the style you want. So how can you tell if your stylist has reason to be PO'd? To find out, just keep reading.

10. You change your mind constantly. If you walk in asking for Jennifer Aniston's new bob and then decide halfway through that you want Jessica Alba's cut instead, you're probably going to walk out looking like Bon Jovi.

9. You want something unreasonable. Asking for thick curls like Blake Lively's if your hair is fine and stick-straight is asking your stylist to do the impossible. Without a heavy chemical process and some extensions, your texture, like a diamond, is forever.

8. You get way too personal. People love to get chatty at the salon, but showing off iPhone photos of your friend's weird foot fungus is just not OK.

7. You don't say anything when you're unhappy. People who Yelp nasty salon reviews without sharing their discontent with the stylist first are in for some bad hair karma. Any reasonable salon will want to fix something if you don't like it, and there's no way for a stylist to know if you don't tell her.

6. You're too general. Plop down in a chair and tell a stylist to "do whatever" and you may just get a haircutter who feels like giving you an asymmetrical blue mohawk.

5. You don't have pictures. If you have a good idea about what you want, come in with some photographic examples. What your stylist imagines as "Joan Holloway red" may look more like "Carrot Top red" to you.

4. You're chronically late. Everyone resents people who make them late or keep them waiting; don't be that person.

3. You're always trying to get free stuff. It's reasonable to ask your stylist to trim your bangs or maybe even touch up your color in between appointments, but some people constantly try and coerce their salon into giving them free products and services. There's a clear line between being an assertive, bargain-savvy customer and being tacky. People who reasonlessly demand freebies have crossed it.

2. You bring three opinionated friends. You know who shouldn't be deciding whether you need to take a little more off in the front? Your cousin Debbie.

1. You don't tip enough. It's hard enough to be in the service industry without grinches. People who say they "don't believe" in tipping or who think that 10 percent "is enough" are just being cheap. There's no excuse if the service wasn't at least as bad as the last season of Rock of Love.

Strangely, I never knew that tipping your stylist was a thing. I always assumed it was kinda built into the overall price. I mean one time this woman beside me at my old salon was being unbearable obnoxious and they overcharged her by about 20$. So I when I first paid for a haircut with debit and was asked for a tip, I was actually surprised. What is the protocol for that exactly?

I'm always specific, but one of my last stylists gave me the worst hair cut of my life. I asked for a few layers and keep my hair mostly like a straight cut, but she gave me choppy layers.# 8, about being too personal. I also think stylists need to keep this in mind too. Because I absolutely hate stylists telling me about their entire life. I don't need to know everything about you, just cut my hair and lets be done with it.

I'm always specific, but one of my last stylists gave me the worst hair cut of my life. I asked for a few layers and keep my hair mostly like a straight cut, but she gave me choppy layers.
# 8, about being too personal. I also think stylists need to keep this in mind too. Because I absolutely hate stylists telling me about their entire life. I don't need to know everything about you, just cut my hair and lets be done with it.

Fauxcats, it sounds like you're really polite, and that can put you at risk around people who aren't. I know it can be hard, but until you find a stylist with the right personality for you, you shouldn't be afraid to walk out at the first red flag. You have a right to be listened to and respected. There's no reason people should be treating you like a doormat, which is what it sounds like is happening.

4 years

I agree with many of the commenters. I have yet to find a salon that I'll go to more than 5 times, because despite the fact that I always follow all of the "rules," I come in with a picture, I know my hair type, etc etc., I usually walk out having paid too much for a mediocre cut. And I'm not a fan of the stupid smalltalk, although I always try to be friendly; usually the stylist is talking a mile a minute to his/her coworkers and barely paying attention to what they're doing to my head or they're asking me too many personal questions and oversharing about their own lives. Just once, I'd like to find a stylist whose ONLY focus is on giving me the nicest, most flattering cut for my features and hair type. Just once. I tip at least 20% anyway, but it physically pains me to do so. I hate that there's a "social etiquette" for customers in this service industry; I'm polite to a fault and try to never offend or inconvenience anybody, but at the end of the day, I'm a paying customer and should be treated with respect. I have yet to really experience that at a salon.

4 years

Stylists annoy me more than I annoy them, I think. The last time I had my hair cut I wanted cute Zooey Deschanel bangs...I even brought a picture AND I have the right hair texture for that style. Instead, the stylist just cut across my forehead and gave me ultra short bangs at least 3 inches above my eyebrows. Lesson learned, I now do my own bangs.

@insi I'm European too and I never tip - we just don't do it here. Besides, I have yet to find a stylist who deserves a 20% tip. The one I've been going to lately cuts well but doesn't follow my directions when it comes to colour. And I agree with the people who said that it's often the stylist who annoys the customer.

In my opinion, it's the stylist who is annoying. I can't count how many times I've felt like the person working on my hair couldn't care less. One time I had a conspiracy theorist talking crazy to me while they did my hair.. Just this week, I had a blow out, and the girl just didn't listen to anything I said. I told her I didn't want a flat iron, and what do you know, she pulls out the chi. Ugh.. They're so pushy with products and talk bad about their co-workers or clients when they leave.
I used to go to this amazing salon where they didn't accept gratuity, and their service was above and beyond. I ended up having to leave because my stylist kept raising his rates (nearly $150 a cut)... in hindsight, i should have stayed. Bouncing around trying to find something half way decent has been a futile attempt.

In my opinion, it's the stylist who is annoying. I can't count how many times I've felt like the person working on my hair couldn't care less. One time I had a conspiracy theorist talking crazy to me while they did my hair.. Just this week, I had a blow out, and the girl just didn't listen to anything I said. I told her I didn't want a flat iron, and what do you know, she pulls out the chi. Ugh.. They're so pushy with products and talk bad about their co-workers or clients when they leave. I used to go to this amazing salon where they didn't accept gratuity, and their service was above and beyond. I ended up having to leave because my stylist kept raising his rates (nearly $150 a cut)... in hindsight, i should have stayed. Bouncing around trying to find something half way decent has been a futile attempt.

1. You don't tip enough. It's hard enough to be in the service industry without grinches. People who say they "don't believe" in tipping or who think that 10 percent "is enough" are just being cheap. There's no excuse if the service wasn't at least as bad as the last season of Rock of Love.i never tip. probably because i'm european and my stylist gets enough sallary.

1. You don't tip enough. It's hard enough to be in the service industry without grinches. People who say they "don't believe" in tipping or who think that 10 percent "is enough" are just being cheap. There's no excuse if the service wasn't at least as bad as the last season of Rock of Love.
i never tip. probably because i'm european and my stylist gets enough sallary.

I kind of agree with Kohina. I prefer to relax when I get my hair done and not get talked to death with mindless chatter. Also, I tip 18-22% depending on how good they are. My new girl get 20-25%, but once I tipped one stylist zero. Worst hair experience EVER!

$20 for a tip? That seems ok for a $100 haircut, but anything over 20% seems excessive. And honestly if all the person did was trim my hair (no new style or color) 20% seems a bit much. They would have to do an awesome job.
It's also hard to give tips at salons when they don't have a discrete way to do it, when you have to tell the stylist if they can add a certain amount on your card - it's just awkward! They should do it like restaurants on the receipt - I think it would make people more comfortable with the whole thing.

$20 for a tip? That seems ok for a $100 haircut, but anything over 20% seems excessive. And honestly if all the person did was trim my hair (no new style or color) 20% seems a bit much. They would have to do an awesome job. It's also hard to give tips at salons when they don't have a discrete way to do it, when you have to tell the stylist if they can add a certain amount on your card - it's just awkward! They should do it like restaurants on the receipt - I think it would make people more comfortable with the whole thing.

I saw this article because a salon posted it to Facebook. If it had been my stylist/hair salon, I would be annoyed. A better way for salons to educate their customers would be to provide suggestions to improve communicattions and the stylist/client relationship, not point out potential shortcomings. Oblivious people will likely remain oblivious, but good clients might be offended.

My hair guru and I have a love/hate relationship. She understands my personality and my hair. I have warm undertones in my hair and we spent 3 years in vain trying to achieve that cool Jessica Simpson ash blonde. I've gone brunette now and she screams every time I mention blonde again. But we've been buddies for years and for the prices at that joint, you have to put up with some trouble. I've recommended her to a thousand people and followed her all over L.A. from salon to salon. I don't tip enough, but on a few hundred dollar tab, I can't afford to and she knows it well. We've been together so long, she often gives me free haircuts, but I never ask for them.

I definitely fall under the "too general" category because I go in and always tell her to do whatever she wants with the color and usually give very little direction w/ the style. I trust my stylist and she has never let me down, so I leave most of the decisions in her hands. She is the professional.

"8. You get way too personal."
Stylists should keep this in mind too. I think I'm more annoyed by stylists than they probably are of me lol. I think too many of them are used to chatty old bats that love the sound of their own voices to respect customers that just don't like talking all the time. I frankly hate when stylists try to goad you into super-personal conversations (or they can't stop running their mouths about themselves). My opinion is that's what my therapist and friends are for. Now shut up and concentrate on cutting my hair.

"8. You get way too personal."Stylists should keep this in mind too. I think I'm more annoyed by stylists than they probably are of me lol. I think too many of them are used to chatty old bats that love the sound of their own voices to respect customers that just don't like talking all the time. I frankly hate when stylists try to goad you into super-personal conversations (or they can't stop running their mouths about themselves). My opinion is that's what my therapist and friends are for. Now shut up and concentrate on cutting my hair.